Falang friendly bank office

[PoorSucker]

Tried today to help a friend about to retire with getting a Thai bank account.

All my friendly bank offices now demanded a work permit.

 

Has anyone recently opened a bank account on tourist visa?

[smokie36]

He needs a notarised letter from the embassy Poorsucker then Bangkok Bank will open an account for him.

 

I did this myself in Bangkok in January.

 

Waiting time for an appointment at the embassy was over two weeks...I dunno if the consul down there can do it...if there is one for him.

 

Just as a note...I did it on a visa exemption...but with my Bangkok address.

Edited August 22, 2016 by smokie36

[halloween]

11 hours ago, smokie36 said:

He needs a notarised letter from the embassy Poorsucker then Bangkok Bank will open an account for him.

 

I did this myself in Bangkok in January.

 

Waiting time for an appointment at the embassy was over two weeks...I dunno if the consul down there can do it...if there is one for him.

 

Just as a note...I did it on a visa exemption...but with my Bangkok address.

So what does the required letter state - that your passport is genuine?

[smokie36]

12 hours ago, halloween said:

So what does the required letter state - that your passport is genuine?

 

Pretty much....no idea why they think this is ticking the box but it works.

[lom]

 

 

Expats on a retirement visa must have a Thai bank account and expats who officially works here does also have the need for one but which tourist needs a Thai bank account?

The "tourists" living here on back-to-back tourist visas? 

I think you understand what they are after..

[PoorSucker]

3 hours ago, lom said:

 

 

Expats on a retirement visa must have a Thai bank account and expats who officially works here does also have the need for one but which tourist needs a Thai bank account?

The "tourists" living here on back-to-back tourist visas? 

I think you understand what they are after..

 

To get a retirement extension you need a bank account but you can not get it unless your are on retirement extension, moment 22.

[halloween]

4 hours ago, lom said:

 

 

Expats on a retirement visa must have a Thai bank account and expats who officially works here does also have the need for one but which tourist needs a Thai bank account?

The "tourists" living here on back-to-back tourist visas? 

I think you understand what they are after..

I am currently living here almost 6 months of the year, maintaining a permanent residence. I DO need a Thai bank a/c, if for nothing else, to have my pension paid into when I retire here.

[Peterw42]

An extension is an extension of stay after the OA visa you arrived on. Any bank will open an account with an OA Visa.

 

The process is get OA visa outside Thailand. enter Thailand for one year, open an account sometime that year useing the OA visa, put money in account ready for first extension.

 

Its Visa, Bank account, then extension. I dont know why people keep wanting to open accounts before the visa.

[Peterw42]

13 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

 

To get a retirement extension you need a bank account but you can not get it unless your are on retirement extension, moment 22.

You open the account using the OA visa you arrive on. extension of stay happends up tp 2 years later

[notmyself]

This 'need a work permit' demand has been going to for a couple of years now. Immigration say it is not true and to wait a while. I gave it 6 months or so then tried again but nothing had changed. I gave up.

[halloween]

On 24/08/2016 at 4:52 PM, Peterw42 said:

An extension is an extension of stay after the OA visa you arrived on. Any bank will open an account with an OA Visa.

 

The process is get OA visa outside Thailand. enter Thailand for one year, open an account sometime that year useing the OA visa, put money in account ready for first extension.

 

Its Visa, Bank account, then extension. I dont know why people keep wanting to open accounts before the visa.

 Some months before I come back to Thailand permanently, Oz OAP would like to know which account my pension is to be paid into. They are not going to change accounts on the strength of an e-mail.

[Peterw42]

9 minutes ago, halloween said:

 Some months before I come back to Thailand permanently, Oz OAP would like to know which account my pension is to be paid into. They are not going to change accounts on the strength of an e-mail.

 

Get paid into an Australian Account. You can transfer money to Thailand once a week,  once a month etc, and when exchange rate is good. You can change your account details via MyGov site anytime.

[samuijimmy]

I spoke with two people today, who have bank accounts, at the Bank of Bangkok in Bophut (my bank also) Next to Samui Centre,  and living here neither on Retirement, or work permit.... It could be they got these accounts before rules changed... they were not sure... 

 

Might be worth going in and asking  there ... usually a few of the staff in there have a pretty good comprehension of English.

[smokie36]

2 hours ago, samuijimmy said:

I spoke with two people today, who have bank accounts, at the Bank of Bangkok in Bophut (my bank also) Next to Samui Centre,  and living here neither on Retirement, or work permit.... It could be they got these accounts before rules changed... they were not sure... 

 

Might be worth going in and asking  there ... usually a few of the staff in there have a pretty good comprehension of English.

 

As I already posted above....I have seen and read Bangkok Bank's rules...a notarized copy of your passport and an address in Thailand and at home are required. That or a WP.

 

Proof of address was not asked for when I applied in Bangkok.

 

 

Edit: Just to point out the rules are stricter for US citizens.

Edited August 26, 2016 by smokie36

[halloween]

23 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

 

Get paid into an Australian Account. You can transfer money to Thailand once a week,  once a month etc, and when exchange rate is good. You can change your account details via MyGov site anytime.

No shit, Sherlock. Good if you don't mind losing 3.5% of it, whereas initial set-up to a foreign bank gives fee free transfer monthly rather n than fortnightly. Have you tried changing your bank to one in a foreign country?

Edited August 27, 2016 by halloween

[notmyself]

So I come over here some time back with around six grand British on me and no bank would take it off of me. I kept it all (in 20's) in a drawer at home and scoured every branch I came upon going around the island with the same thing, need a WP. Couple of visits to immigration then more branches resulting in nothing so was told just to wait. Couple of weeks later an old Australian friend came over and took half of it off me and we blew the whole lot in 11 days on beer and hookers. Around March last year I went around to some degree again and was told the same thing.  By this time I had already read about problems elsewhere and BB was the place to go, in BKK. HSBC (as a former Midland Bank customer) don't charge me jack to use a UK card even though they got out of the market here years ago. I just gave up because I didn't really need an account over here

[phetphet]

I have found that getting a residence certificate helps. I went to a bank a couple of weeks ago Krungsri Chaweng, and asked requirements to open an account. They told me passport, and a work permit, but I said I don't work. How about a residence certificate, and they said OK.

I haven't had the time yet to go to Nathon Immigration to get one yet though.

 

Also Kasikorn Chaweng, facing bottom of the lake road junction has always been good, and although I know things have changed, a few years ago, I originally opened an account at SCB a few doors along from there using my hotel address.

Edited August 30, 2016 by phetphet